Unit 3. Word-Formation Processes in English
Part 2. A words and its relatives: derivation
Practice
Exercise 1
Here are ten adjectives. What verbs can be formed from them by prefixation,
suffixation or conversion, and how many of these verbs are lexical items?
full to full – conversion
poor empower – prefixation, suffixation and conversion
long prolong - prefixation
active activate – suffixation
humble to humble - conversion
empty to empty - conversion
rich enrich - prefixation
short shorten – suffixation
national to nationalise - suffixation
proud to pride oneself on – suppletion
Exercise 2
In this unit, -ism was discussed only as a suffix for deriving nouns from adjectives.
Give examples to show that it can also be used to derive nouns from other nouns.
Criticism, terrorism, paganism, heroism
Exercise 3
In this unit, -ful was discussed only as a suffix for deriving adjectives from nouns.
Give examples to show that it can also be used to derive nouns from other nouns.
Bowlful, handful
